Rocking The Catskills

Rasputin's Stash: Your Love Is Certified and Mr Cool
From: Rasputin's Stash (Cotillion, 1971)

It's always puzzled me why Rasputin's Stash aren't a lot more popular than they are. The band released two fine albums in the early seventies with a quality blend of funk and soul, yet this, their first album, isn't even available on CD never mind reissued on vinyl. You'd think the cover art alone would get people interested.

Maybe part of the reason for this is the confusion caused by the group itself who suffered an identity crisis one record into their career. After releasing this self titled album as an eight part collective formed from Chicago session musicians, the group then reduced itself to four before releasing a second self titled album as Rasputin Stash. Anyway, what really matters is the quality of the music and this band has an abundance of it.

Your Love Is Certified shows the group at their funkiest, kicking the album off in high energy style. A banger of an opening track, the song ticks all the boxes required. Pulsating rhythm? Check. Soulful vocals? Check. Ripping organ? Check. The track gets in there, hits you hard, and leaves all in two minutes.

If you call a song Mr Cool then you better have the style to carry it off and this song slides along with a glide in it's stride and a dip in it's hip. Sampled by the Dust Brothers for Beck's High 5 (Rock the Catskills), the rolling groove, bragging lyrics and cleverly constructed chorus seem tailor made for a blaxploitation film that never was.

So please, somebody, get this album on a reissue tip asap and reintroduce the band to the world.